Mortals Who Cannot Be Trusted
by IceElf2008
Summary: A young Legolas is captured by men. Can Thranduil find him before it is too late. Prequel to Web of Lies, explaining Legolas' distrust of men.


**Revised 28/04/05: Song lyrics removed**

**Disclaimer: None of the characters from Tolkien's Work are mine.**

**AN: I know I said I'd write Dangerous Games, and I am. I just have finished rewriting this fic and am posting it. It is the tale of the very first time Legolas was captured by men and sort of explains why he distrusts them.**

**Mortals Who Cannot Be Trusted**

Thranduil, to put it quite simply, was bored. He had important matters to deal with, none of which sounded particularly interesting. But being king-despite having its numerous advantages, also had its disadvantages. One of which was sometimes not being able to see friends and family whenever you so wished. Deciding that his business would have to wait, the Elvenking let out a long sigh, and pushed his chair back from his desk. Rising he headed to the door and walked out of his study and down the corridor to the large courtyard that was in full bloom in this early spring. This area of Mirkwood was so quiet, so peaceful. Too peaceful it could be said, it was unusual to not have suffered a few skirmishes with the orcs of Mirkwood, an ever growing problem that was not going to be solved soon. Though the Elvenking knew of this, he still hoped that it would be over long before Legolas was able to ride with the warriors into battle. He smiled softly to himself as he thought of his young son, His Little Greenleaf.  
The smile was wiped from his face at the sound of a commotion from the gates. He hurried over to them only to find a young warrior staggering through them, as he caught sight of the King he made his way over to him.  
"King Thranduil! Men in Mirkwood, They are attacking us" he gasped. With that the elf fell dead at the Elvenking's feet, blood seeping from the arrow wound in his back. King Thranduil snapped into action at once and ordered elves to prepare to meet these men in battle. Little angered him-but the killing of an innocent elf-that was unforgivable.  
"Melwe," He called one of the maidens as he strode past. "Find someone to take his body to the hall of mourning, and tell his family of his death" He then walked off to prepare himself for battle.  
Once ready he headed out to the courtyard, he was disappointed that he had not found his son; he would have liked to tell him what was happening. As he reached the stairs that led into the courtyard however, he came face to face with a young elf, clutching a bow in one hand, he smiled up at his Father  
"Ada." The little elf said accusingly "Where are you going? You said we could go out into Mirkwood today!"  
"Something has occurred, Greenleaf. This is urgent." Thranduil replied kneeling in front of his 500 year old son and embracing him.  
"Can I come?" Legolas asked  
"Not this time my Little Greenleaf" Thranduil sighed, "This is dangerous"

"But I'm a warrior!" Legolas protested, causing Thranduil to smile.  
"No Legolas." Thranduil said looking down at his only son and heir and smiling sadly. Thinking about how he would not have survived if it were not for Legolas...

_Flashback _

_Thranduil stood on the balcony of his chambers in silence, a single tear on his cheek. He had asked not to be disturbed, and up to this point his wishes had been obeyed. He wished to be alone in his grief. He did not care if it killed him  
The door opened slowly-just a crack at first, then a bit more "Go away!" Thranduil snapped without turning round. Then he heard a figure enter the room "I said go away!" he snapped again. The figure however did not leave.  
At the door Legolas stared at his Father's back and flinched as the king snapped at him, he was slightly afraid of being shouted at, yet he had to ask his Father something "Ada" he began nervously, "I heard Almon and Narello talking earlier. They said that you may not live long if you stay like this. You aren't going to die are you?" the last question was barely audible yet the King heard it and paused in his thoughts, then slowly he turned, he knew he had been selfish. He had not thought about Legolas-only about himself, he knew what Almon and Narello had said was true-if he stayed locked up like this he would be sure to pass away. But he couldn't do that. He had to live on-for his son. Thranduil walked forward and picked his son up, holding him close to him, he would still grieve for his wife. They both would. But not alone-the royals would grieve together. As he walked over to the balcony he smiled gently "No Little Greenleaf." He whispered "No. I won't leave you"  
_"_Is Nana watching over us too-like your Ada and Nana?" Legolas asked innocently  
_"_Yes, yes my son she is" Thranduil said tears springing to his eyes as he kissed his son on the brow, "and she always will be. She will always be there to protect you, even if I cannot"_

"I will return as soon as I can" Thranduil said with a smile as he came out of his dark memories  
"Good!" Legolas said with a slight grin, turning and running up the steps. Thranduil, stood, turned and headed out to meet the assembled warriors.  
Thranduil rode out of the gate, followed by many of the elves of Mirkwood, the green banner of the wood elves fluttering in the breeze. Legolas watched in silence from his balcony longing for the day when he too could be involved in big battles.  
"I'm a warrior now" he said to himself "I can go and help my Father now!" silently he grabbed his bow from the floor beside him and leapt into the tree bedside his balcony, not even noticing when his green cape caught on a branch and tore..  
The battle was long and bloody with many deaths on both sides. Yet in the end the elves were victorious. They suffered many injuries but finally managed to drive the men out. They returned to Mirkwood, injured but glad the threat had gone. As they rode through the gates of Mirkwood many elves ran to greet the survivors, and some broke down in tears at the loss of their loved ones. Thranduil dismounted, and looked around for his son. Something was wrong. His son should have come running up to him already, begging for tales of battle. But he hadn't. He half expected to hear his son call his name, but no cry of 'Ada! Ada!' came.  
"I shouldn't expect him to always be here to greet me" he scolded himself "he's a child. He has more interesting things to do than spend time with his Father" then he turned and led his horse back to the stables.

Legolas wandered though the woods, lost and alone. Mirkwood seemed different to him when he was alone. Trees cast shadows on the ground, and to the young Prince they seemed like tall monsters reaching out to catch him. An owl hooted from a nearby tree startling the Prince. He ran. Pushing branches out of his way Legolas ran through Mirkwood, the branches catching at his clothes, his hair, and his face. The Prince was very soon covered in scratches. Tears rolling down his face, he stumbled onwards. "Ada!" He called out his voice echoing ominously in the silent forest "Ada!" hearing a noise in response he turned and ran into a large clearing full of tall dark haired men. Looking around in fear Legolas began to back away from the clearing, but they had already seen him, one of them, reached over and grabbed his wrist, Legolas tried to pull away. But the man's grip was too strong; he was pulled into the circle of men and was soon surrounded. A large man pushed his way into the circle.  
"Who are you little elf?" he said tauntingly, an evil glint in his dark eyes.  
"I am Prince Legolas Thranduilion! Release me immediately!" the young elf replied trying to pull away  
"Are you really? Then I don't think we'll be wanting to let you go" he replied a smile forming on his face.  
"You will!" Legolas snapped impudently "If you don't my Ada will find you and chop your big ugly heads off"  
"Will he now." The man said, "Somehow I don't think he will if you're pretty little head is involved in matters" he traced a finger across Legolas' cheek "No...I don't think he will"  
"I'll...I'll..." Legolas looked for his bow and with a start realized he'd dropped it somewhere.  
"You'll do what, kill me?" the man said with a laugh "I'd like to see you try." He turned to his men "bind his hands! We move out!" A tall man grabbed Legolas hands roughly and bound them with a thick piece of rope; the he attached another piece of rope to the one around his wrists. The men then bean to file out of the clearing. Before he left the man who had spoken to him before came up to him and bent down so his face was level to and only inches from Legolas' face "Now listen boy" he said "you make one sound-one cry for help and I'll make sure you never speak again" Legolas nodded in fear, and as he was led away from all he knew, he let a few tears slip from his eyes.

Thranduil opened the door to his son's room and glanced around for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. Legolas' was still not there.  
"Melwe!" He called out at the passing maid "Have you seen Legolas?"  
"I have neither seen nor heard anything of him since you left My Lord" the elven maid replied. Thranduil let out a sigh and walked into Legolas' room. As he reached the balcony something caught his eye, he leaned out to grab something caught on a branch on a nearby tree. It was a part of his son's cape.  
"Oh no" Thranduil whispered realizing what had happened, he held the cape in his hand for a fraction of a second before racing out into the corridor "Tirinvo!" he snapped at the captain of the guard as the elf walked past, possibly on his way to the infirmary-for many elves had been injured in the skirmish with the men.  
"Yes my Lord" the captain replied knowing it was best not to further question the king when he was in a mood like this. _'Like Father, like son'_ the commander thought remembering the late King Oropher's famous temper. It seemed that his son had inherited it too.  
"Assemble all who are fit to fight in the courtyard"  
"My Lord, the warriors have just survived one battle, they will not want to fight again so soon"  
"So I am meant to let my warriors rest while my son is out there!" Thranduil yelled, causing Tirinvo to flinch.  
"Prince Legolas is missing?" The commander replied worriedly "I am sorry my Lord, I will assemble them now"

Deep in Mirkwood the men continued to make their way through the dense woods, taking Legolas with them. The Prince had already stumbled and fallen many times, each time being roughly dragged to his feet by a surrounding man. The ropes around his wrists had been tied too tightly and they cut into his fair skin. Looking around wildly, the young Prince realized he did not know where he was, he was being led further and further away from his home and all that he knew. In the failing light Legolas was becoming frightened. More than anything he wanted-and needed his Father. He wanted his Father to scoop him up in his strong arms and tell him that everything was fine . But Thranduil could not be seen. A sudden thought struck Legolas, what if his Father did not know this area of Mirkwood either? Would he ever be found, or would he have to stay with these men forever? _'No. I'll escape!'_ thought one part of his mind, while the other answered _'but you don't know the way home.'_ As he thought of his home and how he might never see it again tears sprang to his eyes and began to roll freely down his face  
"Stop your pathetic snivelling boy!" snapped a man walking behind him, hitting Legolas sharply on the back of the head. Legolas stumbled but did not fall, instead he blinked away his tears and looked up fearfully into the man's dark eyes "Ah our little Princeling is scared" he said in mock sympathy "He's missing his Ada! Well he doesn't miss you! He mustn't love you. If he did he would have come for you by now!"  
"He does love me!" Legolas replied without thinking "He told me so!" some of the famous royal temper showing in his face  
"Where is he then?" asked a different man, shoving Legolas roughly to the ground "He's probably at home, resting from our little fight earlier! Maybe he is one of the ones who we killed..."  
"No..." Legolas whispered tears forming in his eyes, then he looked up "I'll kill you..." he yelled suddenly "I'll Kill you!"  
"Stop baiting the boy!" the yell startled all the men and they watched as their leader stormed up to where the Prince stood and grabbed the man who had spoken. Throwing him against a tree he pulled out a knife "We are meant to be keeping silent! But what do you do! Bait the elf!" he walked up to the man who was cowering on the floor and grabbed his chin and forced his mouth open. Then he stabbed the knife into the man's mouth and cut out his tongue. The cowering man moaned in pain as the man then stabbed him in the stomach Blood splattered everywhere as the leader continued to sink the knife into the man's flesh. When the man lay dead, their leader stood and walked over to them. "The next man who so much as looks at his majesty will find himself like him" he looked down the line of the men, who nodded to show they understood. He then looked into Legolas' eyes "and as for you" he hissed "say one more word and I will cut your tongue out. Understand?" Legolas only nodded in reply, tears rolling faster down his face "and stop that crying. No ones going to be sympathetic here" glaring at his men he walked to the front of the column "we move on" he said simply leading his men away"  
"Lord Deleryn" one man began nervously; at a glace from his leader he dropped his voice so not even Legolas could here "should we not move the body. It might show the Elf King which way we have gone"  
"Good. He'll know what sort of people his precious son is with"

Thranduil looked left and right as he searched for Legolas. He called out his son's name in distress and he could hear other elves doing the same. The little Prince was loved by all in Mirkwood. "Legolas!" he called again, then stopped as he rode into the clearing. Legolas' small bow lay on the ground. Thranduil picked it up and held it for a second before noticing the tracks, many were large and made by men, but Thranduil took no second glance to recognize those that belonged to Legolas' "Over here!" He called out to the other elves, who gathered almost immediately, "Follow me" Thranduil snapped heading off following the tracks of Legolas' captors.

The men made their way through Mirkwood, travelling on foot. Legolas looked around in despair, he was being led further and further away from all he knew. He was being taken into the areas of Mirkwood he had not yet entered. The trees towered above blocking out much of the light, in the half light Legolas was quickly becoming frightened. He realized that even if he escaped he would not know where to go. He wondered if he was being searched for. He wondered if he would be found. He wondered if his Father was with them...Tears sprung to his eyes as he thought of home. "Stop your whining Boy!" snapped a man walking nearby, Legolas blinked away his tears quickly, and looked up at the man-fear showing on his young face. "Oh. The little Prince is scared" the man said in mock sympathy-causing many people around to laugh cruelly. Legolas looked away feeling lost and alone.  
"We will rest here for the night!" a man called out leading the men into a dark cave. The men lit torches and pushed Legolas into a corner  
"Stay there!" snapped a man his rough tone causing Legolas to shrink back against the wall of the cave. Tears now flowing freely from his eyes, he was more frightened than he had ever been before. The ropes were rubbing his fair skin, causing them to bleed and he was losing hope that his father would ever come.  
"Ada." He whispered to the darkness "I'm scared. Help me!"  
"Here drink that" snapped a man shoving a bowl of water in front of him and shoving a piece of stale bread into his lap  
"Don't want it" Legolas whispered  
"Starve then!" he said taking he bread away "I'll tell your master your finished" He walked away and began to converse with the leader, who walked over to Legolas"  
"Get up!" he snapped, when Legolas did not move he grabbed his hair and pulled him to his feet "You do what I tell you! I am your Master, you are my slave!"  
"I'm not!" Legolas snapped indignantly, this caused the man to slap him across the face. The Prince staggered back and fell on his backside, tears welled in his eyes  
"You are my slave and you will do what I tell you" the man replied pulling Legolas up to his feet "Disobey me again and I'll take a belt to you" with that he shoved Legolas into a smaller cave and sealed it with a rock.  
In the pitch black Legolas was terrified, "Ada!" he screamed "Ada!" tears spilled as he sobbed him self to sleep.

"Legolas!" Thranduil called out once more looking frantically around for his son. "ion-nin" he rode a few steps forward and stopped abruptly he could hear the sounds of human voices  
"What are we doing with the King's Brat?"  
"We takin' 'im to Lord Travener alive"  
He turned and motioned to the elven warriors to follow him before riding through the trees and coming face to face with a large cavern "Ai Elbereth" Thranduil whispered before dismounting and removing his sword from the scabbard round his waist

The men looked up in shock when the elven warriors ran in to the cave led by a furious King Thranduil. The men fought bravely but were seriously outnumbered and all were soon defeated. Thranduil looked around for his son and when he could not see him he grabbed one man who was still dying  
"Where is he!" he snarled his sword at the man's throat.  
The man terrified at the sight of a furious Elf King paled and pointed to the cave "The...there" he stammered  
Thranduil threw the man to the ground and raced to the smaller cave, pushing away the rock he knelt and saw his son.

"Thank you Elbereth" he whispered as he cut his son's bonds "Thank you"  
Legolas stirred  
"Ada?" he whispered  
"It's me Little Greenleaf. I'm here" Thranduil replied picking his son up and carrying him to the cave entrance "You are safe now."  
"They said they killed you" Legolas sobbed  
"And you think your Ada isn't capable of surviving a battle with a few men?" Thranduil said holding his child close "I also thought I had lost you" Legolas felt his Father's tears on his head and looked up  
"I'm Sorry Ada" he whispered  
"No, I am sorry; I should have killed those men. I shouldn't have let a single one escape. I should have made Mirkwood a safe place. But I didn't"  
"I'll be safe if you are there to protect me" Legolas replied "you will always be here to protect me won't you"  
Thranduil placed Legolas on his horse and climbed up behind him the warriors had also mounted their own horses. "Yes" he replied "Always" He knew he could not keep that promise, for there would be one day when his son would leave him to fight along side the other warriors and would not need or want his Father's protection as much as he did now...

But until then

"I'll always protect you Legolas. I'll never let anything harm you" He kissed his son on the head and began the ride back to the Palace.

**The End **

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**Bye**

**Aranel**


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